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A review by mxkanteven
Babel by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
All I can say is this woman does not miss!
Babel is dark academia meets colonial violence with a veneer of respectability politics.
R.F Kuang’s way of tackling the difficulties and complexities of race, gender, class and immigration never ceases to amaze me.
The book takes you on a evenly paced ride through the lawns and halls of Oxford down to its seedy underbelly that is fuelled by slave labour, bloodstained silver and colonial theft of knowledge.
It explores what it means to be BIPoC in the diaspora, disconnected from your ancestral roots and forced/beguiled into becoming a cog in the machine of imperialism. It specifically makes a point of discussing the way men of colour are oblivious to the unique oppressions Black woman/Non-Black women of colour experience. It also dives into the insidious ways white women uphold the systems of racial prejudice and violence with their complicity and desire to have the power white men do.
The book is near perfection. The only thing holding it back from a true 5 stars is some of the language that discusses the experiences of Black folks impacted by colonialism and chattel slavery does come across as centring white support of “revolution” being the key to liberation.
While not entirely untrue, it does in my opinion is a bit of a disservice to the fights Black folks globally have fought for their own freedoms. But I’m a non-Black person of colour so I could be entirely wrong for that so if I am, I’ll edit this section.
Babel is dark academia meets colonial violence with a veneer of respectability politics.
R.F Kuang’s way of tackling the difficulties and complexities of race, gender, class and immigration never ceases to amaze me.
The book takes you on a evenly paced ride through the lawns and halls of Oxford down to its seedy underbelly that is fuelled by slave labour, bloodstained silver and colonial theft of knowledge.
It explores what it means to be BIPoC in the diaspora, disconnected from your ancestral roots and forced/beguiled into becoming a cog in the machine of imperialism. It specifically makes a point of discussing the way men of colour are oblivious to the unique oppressions Black woman/Non-Black women of colour experience. It also dives into the insidious ways white women uphold the systems of racial prejudice and violence with their complicity and desire to have the power white men do.
The book is near perfection. The only thing holding it back from a true 5 stars is some of the language that discusses the experiences of Black folks impacted by colonialism and chattel slavery does come across as centring white support of “revolution” being the key to liberation.
While not entirely untrue, it does in my opinion is a bit of a disservice to the fights Black folks globally have fought for their own freedoms. But I’m a non-Black person of colour so I could be entirely wrong for that so if I am, I’ll edit this section.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Drug use, Racism, Xenophobia, and War
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt